Latest science news in Biology & Nature
A universal framework combining genome annotation and undergraduate education
Scientists and educators have developed a framework for using new genome sequences as a training resource for undergraduates interested in learning genome annotation. This strategy will both make the process...
Look: Police find alligator during search of home in California
Authorities conducting a search on a California home said they ended up seizing a ferret and a 5-foot alligator from the house.
A universal framework combining genome annotation and undergraduate education
As genome sequencing becomes cheaper and faster, resulting in an exponential increase in data, the need for efficiency in predicting gene function is growing, as is the need to train...
Gene Wolfe, Acclaimed Science Fiction Writer, Dies at 87
His four-book series “The Book of the New Sun” is considered one of the major works of the genre.
Mysterious river dolphin helps crack the code of marine mammal communication
The Araguaian river dolphin of Brazil was thought to be solitary with little social structure that would require communication. But researchers have discovered the dolphins actually are social and can...
Anna Camp, Skylar Astin split after over two years of marriage
"Pitch Perfect" co-stars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin have split after over two years of marriage, the pair announced on Friday.
New method to detect off-target effects of CRISPR
Since the CRISPR genome editing technology was invented in 2012, it has shown great promise to treat a number of intractable diseases. However, scientists have struggled to identify potential off-target...
Red Wings to name Steve Yzerman new GM
The Detroit Red Wings are expected to name Steve Yzerman as their new general manager Friday.
Warming: Plants are also stressed out
What will a three-degree-warmer world look like? When experiencing stress or damage from various sources, plants use chloroplast-to-nucleus communication to regulate gene expression and help them cope. Now, researchers have...
Weak honey bee colonies may fail from cold exposure during shipping
Cold temperatures inside honey bee colonies may cause colony losses during and after long-distance hauling, according to a preliminary study.
Brain Restoration System Explores Hazy Territory between Being Dead or Alive
An experiment that restored cellular function to pigs’ brains hours after death holds the potential for advancing neuroscience research -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Police: DNA match identifies killer in California cold cases
Investigators say they've cracked a pair of 40-year-old California murder cases by using DNA testing to identify the killer -- a method similar to that used by police to identify...
Scientists uncover a link between RNA editing and chloroplast-to-nucleus communication
What will a three-degree-warmer world look like? How will plants fare in more extreme weather conditions? When experiencing stress or damage from various sources, plants use chloroplast-to-nucleus communication to regulate...
New method to detect off-target effects of CRISPR
Since the CRISPR genome editing technology was invented in 2012, it has shown great promise to treat a number of intractable diseases. However, scientists have struggled to identify potential off-target...
New variety of zebra chip disease threatens potato production in southwestern Oregon
Named after the dark stripes that form inside potatoes after they are cut and fried, zebra chip disease is a potentially devastating affliction that can result in yield losses up...
‘Longevity gene’ responsible for more efficient DNA repair
Explorers have dreamed for centuries of a Fountain of Youth, with healing waters that rejuvenate the old and extend life indefinitely. Researchers at the University of Rochester, however, have uncovered...
Mysterious river dolphin helps crack the code of marine mammal communication
The Araguaian river dolphin of Brazil is something of a mystery. It was thought to be quite solitary, with little social structure that would require communication. But Laura May Collado,...
Researchers restore cell function, metabolism to whole pig brains
The porcine system could aid drug discovery for diseases such as stroke
Scientists discover sustainable way to increase seed oil yield in crops
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a sustainable way to demonstrate a new genetic modification that can increase the yield of natural oil in seeds by up...
A scientist used chalk in a box to show that bats use sunsets to migrate
A new device for investigating bat migration suggests that the flying mammals orient themselves by the setting sun.
BRB-seq: The quick and cheaper future of RNA sequencing
RNA sequencing is a technique used to analyze entire genomes by looking at the expression of their genes. Today, such genome-wide expression analyses are a standard tool for genomic studies...
Taming the genome's 'jumping' sequences
The human genome is fascinating. Once predicted to contain about a hundred thousand protein-coding genes, it now seems that the number is closer to twenty thousand, and maybe less. And...
MicroRNA-like RNAs contribute to the lifestyle transition of Arthrobotrys oligospora
Lifestyle transition is a fundamental mechanism that fungi have evolved to survive and proliferate in different environments. As a typical nematode-trapping fungus, Arthrobotrys oligospora switches from saprophytes to predators on...
Mysterious river dolphin helps crack the code of marine mammal communication
The Araguaian river dolphin of Brazil is something of a mystery. It was thought to be quite solitary, with little social structure that would require communication. But Laura May Collado,...
Multiple modes for selectivity of transmembrane transport
LMU researchers utilized a biophysical approach to understand how bacterial import proteins bind and selectively convey their cargoes across membranes. The results reveal an unexpectedly wide variety of transfer mechanisms.
Next frontier in study of gut bacteria: mining microbial molecules
The human gut harbors trillions of invisible microbial inhabitants, referred to as the microbiota, that collectively produce thousands of unique small molecules. The sources and biological functions of the vast...
Researchers map sound, response and reward anticipation in mouse brain
Neuroscientists report that two areas of the mouse brain combine representations of what is heard and anticipated, guiding behavior that leads mice to the best reward.
RNA sequencing used to discover novel genes and pathways in celiac disease
Researchers have discovered novel genes and pathways related to early stages in the development of celiac disease and the ongoing inflammation and comorbidities associated with the condition.